Game apparatus

ABSTRACT

Game apparatus ( 1 ), comprising a playing surface ( 7 ), a number allocation device ( 2 ), wherein the number allocation device is adapted to allocate consecutive numbers to individual players of a game as a result of individual requests by said players in accordance with the chronological order of the individual request of the players.

The present invention relates to a game for two or more players.

Bingo games and lottery games are known. In a conventional game of bingo, the player buys a playing card with a set of numbers. The game controller or bingo caller, draws numbers from a set of numbers, which often comprises the numbers from 1 to 100. As each number is drawn, a player inspects their playing card and crosses off any matching numbers. When a player has matched all the numbers on the playing card before any other player, the player wins and a prize may be awarded.

In a conventional lottery, a player is able to choose the set of numbers on their playing card or ticket. Numbers are drawn from a set of numbers and if the player matches all of the numbers on the playing card, then the player wins and a prize may be awarded.

In both of the aforementioned games, one of the main features of the games is that the numbers are drawn in a random order, and all the players of the game may make use of the same numbers to play the game. A game of bingo is passive in that a player wins purely by chance and no choices by the player can improve the odds of winning for a particular playing card. Although in the lottery game, the player may choose the numbers, the player will still only win purely by chance. In this way, a player of bingo or a lottery has little chance to improve their chances of winning.

The present invention seeks to provide an added element of skill to number games.

According to the present invention, there is provided game apparatus comprising a playing surface and a number allocation device, wherein the number allocation device is adapted to allocate consecutive numbers to individual players of a game as a result of individual requests by said players in accordance with the chronological order of the individual request of the players.

Preferably, the game apparatus further comprises data processing means and input means for making the individual requests.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, two or more players may take part in the game.

Players may be human players, or a player may be a computer.

Preferably, the numbers allocated by the number allocation device include an upper number and a numerical range.

Preferably, the number allocation device will allocate, in consecutive order, the numbers between a first and a second number.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the number allocation device will allocate, in consecutive order, the numbers between 1 and 1 million. Players request the allocation of a number, but players may not chose which number is allocated. The same number may not be allocated more than once during a game played according to the present invention.

Players may begin playing a game according to the present invention when the number allocation device allocates the first number or they may join the game at any time before the end of the game.

Preferably players do not take turns to request a number, but may request the allocation of a number at any stage during the game.

Preferably, when a player requests the allocation of a number, the player will not know which number this will be until the number has been allocated.

Preferably the number allocation device will allocate numbers either in ascending order or in descending order.

Preferably a player has or is provided with credit with which to play the game. The number allocation device will only allocate numbers in exchange for a predetermined amount of credit. When a player's credit falls to zero or below a set minimum amount, the player will not be able to be allocated any more numbers. The player may however continue to play the game. Once all the numbers have been allocated, the game comes to an end.

It is possible that, even though a player may have credit, the player does not make a request for a number and therefore the player is not actively playing the game. A player may therefore maintain his credit for a future game. It is also possible that all players may not be actively playing the game at one time and therefore there is no upper limit to the number of players who may play a game according to the present invention.

Preferably, the game may be played on a computer, the number allocation device being in particular a counter and the playing surface being a computer screen. The counter allocates numbers in response to an increment request generated by an input device of a player. A player may, for example, click the button of a computer mouse on a icon on the screen to request a number from the allocation device. It is envisaged that other input devices may also be used by a player to request a number, for example these may comprise a touch screen, a telephone or mobile phone, an interactive television remote control, or a voice control system. The connection means between the input device and the game controller may electrical wires, optical fibres, infra red or radio frequency transmission such as Bluetooth. The game may be played by a player on a single computer or the game may be controlled by a central server and played between users over a local area network or via the Internet, wireless access protocol (WAP) or any similar means.

In a first aspect of the present invention, players must match the numbers allocated by the number allocation device with individual predetermined numbers. The number of numbers that must be matched may be one or more. Should a player match these numbers, the player may win a prize. The player may continue to request a number from the number allocation device until the predetermined number has been matched. The game controller may either reveal the predetermined number that must be matched by a player at the start of the game or may only reveal the predetermined number when a player matches the number.

In a second aspect of the present invention, a player must match the allocated numbers to one or more numerical ranges. These numerical ranges will comprise numbers up to and including the highest allocated number. For example a range may include the numbers between 1 to 100,000. If a player is allocated a number within this range, then the player would win a prize. There may be a number of ranges, and a prize may only be awarded should the player succeed in having a number in each of the ranges.

In a preferred embodiment of a second aspect of the present invention, a player must match one or more digits of the allocated number with a predetermined number in each or all numerical ranges.

In a further preferred embodiment of a second aspect of the present invention, if a player is allocated a predetermined number, a game played according to the second aspect of the present invention would come to an end. Such predetermined numbers may be referred to as ‘negative numbers’. There may be more than one predetermined number and the game would only come to an end if all the predetermined numbers were allocated to that player, before the player has matched all the numbers required to win the game. The predetermined numbers may be particular individual number or may be all numbers with a particular unit digit. This unit digit may for example be the number 7.

In a third aspect of the present invention, a player must collect allocated numbers which are consecutive numbers. The number of consecutive numbers is predetermined by the game controller. Once a player has collected all of the predetermined numbers, the player would win a prize. These consecutive numbers may be predetermined, or a player may continue to request the allocation of numbers until the player has a predetermined number of consecutive numbers. The more consecutive numbers a player collects may relate to a prize of greater value.

In a fourth aspect of the present invention, a player must collect allocated numbers which have similar characteristics. For example, the characteristic may be that the numbers end in unit digit 0. When a player has collected a predetermined number of these numbers with similar characteristics, the player would win a prize.

In a preferred embodiment of a third aspect of the present invention, a player must collect allocated numbers to complete a predetermined pattern. For example the pattern may be in the form of a pyramid.

In a fifth aspect of the present invention, the player must collect allocated numbers to match a predetermined list or set of numbers. Once a player has collected all of numbers in the list or set of numbers, the player wins a prize.

In a sixth aspect of the present invention, the prize has a monetary value. The prize may for example for a car or a house. Should a player be allocated a number which corresponds to the value of the prize, the player would win that prize.

Preferably, a player may keep the numbers allocated by the number allocation device in a first game and continue to play a new game according to any aspect of the invention, the number allocation device starting to allocate numbers afresh.

Preferably, if more than one player successfully completes a game, the players will share a prize fund allocated for that game.

Preferably, if an allocated number is not used in a game, a player may discard that number, exchange that number with another player, or may maintain that number for a subsequent game.

Preferably, a player may simultaneously play games according to one or more aspects of the invention and may make use of the allocated numbers in more than one game.

Preferably the apparatus is adapted to provide a plurality of games playable simultaneously and a number allocated by the number allocation device is used simultaneously in at least two games.

Preferably a player would be provided with a value, and each number comprises a digit and a value for the digit, and players can then exchange numbers and any difference in the respective magnitude of the digit can be ascribed to the player's value, so the player's value can increase or decrease.

Preferably a digit of a number allocated by the number allocation device is concealed from view.

Preferably a player is provided with an armoury of different requests for a predetermined quantity of consecutive numbers from the number allocation device.

In all aspects of the present invention, the allocated numbers for each player will be recorded on the playing surface. The numbers allocated to all players may be visible to all players or the numbers allocated may only be visible to the player to whom they were allocated. Allocated numbers or numbers still to be allocated may be made visible to a single or to all players of the game throughout the game or at certain points of a game. The playing surface may be a physical board or may be digital visual display means.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic of the game apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an image of the playing surface according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an image of the playing surface according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an image of the playing surface according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an image of the playing surface according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an image of the playing surface according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic of the game apparatus 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In this first embodiment, the game is being played on a computer 4. The game apparatus comprises a number allocation device 2, which in this aspect has been labelled “counter”. The number allocation device shows the number that has been allocated, which in this case is “125624”: The game apparatus also comprises a playing surface 7. In this embodiment, the playing surface is the screen of a digital display means 5. The game apparatus further comprises input means 3, which in this embodiment is a computer mouse. A player clicks on the mouse 3 to request a number from the number allocation device. In this first embodiment of the present invention, a player has been allocated the number “125624” to match in order to win a prize. In the image of the playing surface, the player has been allocated the number “125624” and would win a prize. The playing surface contains boxes 6 which contain the predetermined numbers the player must match and the numbers that the player has been allocated.

FIG. 2 is an image of the playing surface 7 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The playing surface shows the number that has been allocated by the number allocation device 2. Boxes 8 show the range of numbers that a player must match. In this embodiment, the range 0-100000 is shown with the box labelled “100000”. Similarly the range 100000-200000 is shown with the box labelled “200000”. The player of this game has matched three numbers within three separate numerical ranges. In the range 1-100000, the player has already been allocated the number “56321”. The player has failed to match a number within the range 200000-300000 in this game. A player may also be required to match a digit of the allocated number with a predetermined number in each or all numerical ranges. For example the unit digit in the range 1-100000 must have to match the number 1. In this embodiment, the player has matched the unit digit in the range 1-100000 with the number 1, having been allocated the number “56321”. Furthermore, if a player should match one or more predetermined numbers, termed ‘negative numbers’ the game will come to an end. Such ‘negative numbers’ may include all numbers ending with the unit digit ‘7’. In this aspect, a player may only match two of these ‘negative numbers’ before the game ends. The player of the game shown in FIG. 2 has matched one ‘negative number’, that number being “524157” as shown in the boxes 9.

FIG. 3 is an image of the playing surface 7 according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The playing surface shows the number that has been allocated by the number allocation device 2. Boxes 10 show the numbers that a player must match. In this embodiment of the present invention, a player must collect consecutive numbers. The player has already collected three consecutive numbers and must collect one more number, in this game, the number “125626” to win a prize.

FIG. 4 is an image of the playing surface 7 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. The playing surface shows the number that has been allocated by the number allocation device 2. Boxes 11 show the numbers that a player has collected. In this embodiment of the present invention, a player must collect numbers with predetermined characteristics. In this embodiment, the characteristic numbers a player must collect have a unit digit ‘0’, for example the numbers “154360” and “1000”. In the game shown in FIG. 4, a player must collect one number with four zeros, two numbers with three zeros, three numbers with two zeros and four numbers with one zero to win a prize. The boxes 11 form a pyramid pattern.

FIG. 5 is an image of the playing surface 7 according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. The playing surface shows the number that has been allocated by the number allocation device 2. Boxes 12 show the numbers that a player must match. In this embodiment of the present invention, a player must collect a set of predetermined numbers. The set of numbers may be random or may follow a pattern.

FIG. 6 is an image of the playing surface 7 according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. The playing surface shows the number that has been allocated by the number allocation device 2. Box 13 shows the value of a prize such as a house or a car. In this embodiment of the present invention, a player must collect a number which matches the value of the prize in order to win that prize.

Each of the numbers allocated by the number allocation device may be partially concealed, such that only a predetermined number of digits of each allocated number are visible to a player. The number may be partially concealed for example by replacing the hundred or ten thousand unit with an X. This concealment adds a further skill element to a game, such that a player is required to follow a game over its duration in order to have a better chance of identifying the number allocated by the number allocation device. A player may remove the partial concealment of the numbers allocated by the number allocation device by, for example, successfully being allocated numbers to complete or partially complete one or more of the games.

All of the embodiments of the present invention may be played simultaneously with a playing surface that includes all the above described embodiments. A number allocated by the number allocation device may then be used in the games of each embodiment simultaneously.

A player may be provided with an armoury of different requests for a predetermined quantity of consecutive numbers from the number allocation device. This armoury may for example include a request for 3, 5, 10 or 20 consecutive requests. The amount of each such requests provided to a player at the start of a game will be predetermined. A player may also refill the armoury of requests a predetermined number of times during the game. 

1-17. (canceled)
 18. A game apparatus, comprising a playing surface, a number allocation device, wherein the number allocation device is adapted to allocate consecutive numbers to individual players of a game as a result of individual requests by said players in accordance with the chronological order of the individual requests of the players.
 19. The game apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the game apparatus further comprises input means.
 20. The game apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the game may be played on a computer.
 21. The game apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the game may be played on a computer.
 22. The game apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the number allocation device will allocate, in consecutive order, the numbers between a first and a second number.
 23. The game apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the number allocation device will allocate, in consecutive order, the numbers between 1 and 1 million.
 24. The game apparatus according to claim 18, wherein a player is human.
 25. The game apparatus according to claim 18, wherein a player is a computer.
 26. The game apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the playing surface is a computer screen.
 27. The game apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the number allocation device is a counter.
 28. The game apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the player requests a number from the number allocation device using the input means.
 29. The game apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the input means is a computer mouse.
 30. The game apparatus according to claim 18, wherein a player matches an allocated number allocated by the number allocation device with a predetermined number.
 31. The game apparatus according to claim 18, wherein a player matches allocated numbers allocated by the number allocation device to one or more numerical ranges.
 32. The game apparatus according to claim 31, wherein a player must match one or more digits of the allocated number with a predetermined number.
 33. The game apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the game is terminated should a player match an allocated number with one or more predetermined numbers.
 34. The game apparatus according to claim 18, wherein a player must collect numbers allocated by the number allocation device with numbers having similar characteristics.
 35. The game apparatus according to claim 18, wherein a player must collect consecutive numbers allocated by the number allocation device.
 36. The game apparatus according to claim 18, wherein a player must collect numbers allocated by the number allocation device to match a predetermined list or set of numbers.
 37. The game apparatus according to claim 18, wherein a player must collect a number allocated by the number allocation device to match the monetary value of a prize. 